The practice is systemic, it's comprehensive, it's in every major government institution. They will classify requests as sensitive or non-sensitive. The sensitive requests get another treatment and that treatment involves a communications plan, Qs and As, higher levels of concurrence, and notification to ministers' offices. What we don't know with certainty is, does that separate tracking, which occurs in every department, prejudice the requester? Does it give them slower service or poorer service?
On October 2nd, 2006. See this statement in context.